Pioneers
by perzysanogar
Summary: Rachel wasn't expecting for her morning run to turn into a whole lot more.


Spoilers: None, really. This is pretty AU. Rachel and Quinn didn't go to the same high school.

Disclaimer: As usual, characters aren't mine but mistakes are.

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Rachel really regrets not bringing her elliptical with her in New York. Her dads told her that it's impractical to bring something so heavy when she already has a lot of belongings to bring with her. So to make up for it, she runs every morning. It pains her to admit it, but running through the park has grown on her. She loves seeing people walking their dogs, children playing, people selling hotdogs, balloons, cotton candies, everything, really. She loves the New York air, no matter how polluted it is. She just loves how busy the city is. It's a nice change from the four walls of her room.

She was just about to turn to a corner for another lap when-_OOF!_

She was tumbling backwards and she caught a flash of blonde hair and pale skin and she felt a weight on top of her. The said blonde scrambled to get up and knelt beside her with wide eyes.

"Oh my God! I am so, so sorry! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" The woman frantically searched Rachel's body for any bruises or scratches and felt her head for any bumps.

Rachel was about to scream _"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" _when she caught sight of the woman's face. She was sure she just died and went to heaven because there is an angel next to her apologizing profusely and helping her sit up. Seriously, no human being could be _this gorgeous_.

"Uhh…"

"I'm really sorry. I didn't see you. Are you okay?" _With the sexiest voice, too! _Worried eyes looked into her and Rachel snapped out of her stupor, only realizing how her head hurt.

"Ow." She said as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Are you okay? Should I take you to a hospital?" The woman helped her stand up, grabbing Rachel's iPod and handing it to her.

"Thank you. No, I'm okay. I didn't hit it that hard." She smiled at the nameless woman because it looked like she was on the verge of having a panic attack. _Do angels even experience panic attacks?_

"Are you sure? God, I'm so sorry."

"It's really fine. You can stop saying sorry now. You've said it like, thirty times already." She smiled wider, just to show the blonde woman that there's nothing to worry about.

"Well, if you're sure?" The woman looked at her apprehensively.

"Positive."

"Well, let me make it up to you at least. Let me buy you a coffee or something and we can-oh fuck."

Rachel's mind went to a different direction with how the word was phrased but she reminded herself that that's _not_ what she meant. "What's wrong?"

"I left my wallet in my apartment."

_Come on, Rachel, think!_ She didn't really want to say goodbye to the woman yet. _God, way to be clingy, Rachel._

"Well, we could exchange phone numbers or something. But I didn't really bring my phone with me and I don't have any pen."

"I uh-I left my phone, too." _Great. Just my fucking luck._

"I live not far from here, we can have coffee in my place?" _Please say yes, please say yes._ This woman could be a serial killer for all she knows but no, serial killers can't be this pretty.

"Okay." The woman smiled at her.

"I'm Rachel, by the way, Rachel Berry." Rachel began as they started walking.

"I'm Quinn. Quinn Fabray."

x

"Well, here we are." Rachel went straight to the kitchen and plugged the coffee maker. "I'm just going to go freshen up a bit and you can, well, do whatever you like."

Quinn sat on the couch and took a look at the apartment. "Thank you. I'll just wait out here. You have a nice place, by the way."

Once Rachel was in the shower she was starting to worry because first, she didn't know how to take it from here. She didn't know what to talk about. What if she doesn't like musicals? Second, what if Quinn stole her money and just took off? Really, she should've thought this through.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the blonde still in her apartment. _Okay, she's neither a serial killer nor a robber._

Quinn approached her with two cups of coffee and handed one to her. "Hey, I took the liberty of preparing the coffee, sorry."

Rachel led them back to the living room and sat down the couch. "So, what do you do? Aside from bumping into people?

"I'm studying at NYU. I don't really have a plan yet, but I'm taking writing and acting classes."

Rachel perked up. _Yes, acting. That could be our common ground._ "I go to NYADA. I've been dreaming about Broadway probably even before I knew what Broadway was."

"So you sing?"

"And act. And dance." She smiled proudly at Quinn.

"A triple threat, then?"

"You could say that. Do you sing?"

"Sometimes. But I'm definitely not as good as you."

"I'm sure you're a wonderful singer. Judging by your sexy speaking voice-" _There it is. Word vomit._ Rachel snapped her mouth shut and cleared her throat.

"Sexy, huh?" Quinn tilted her head and arched an eyebrow, her lips quirking up in amusement.

Rachel felt her cheeks heat up ducked her head in embarrassment.

"If it helps, I think you have a 'sexy speaking voice' too." _Oh my God. This woman was killing her. _She was just glad she didn't chose to take a sip at that moment because she was sure she would've spluttered it all over the couch and all over Quinn and that wouldn't be attractive.

She cleared her throat again and decided that that was enough mortification for today. "You don't have classes today?"

"Oh, I do. But they don't start 'til a few hours. You?"

"Same."

"Where'd you come from?"

"Lima, Ohio. My roommates, Kurt and Santana, we're friends from high school."

"That's nice. I grew up here."

"Must be nice to live close to your family."

"Yeah, my mom lives near here. I visit her from time to time."

"My dads are back in Ohio. New York is wonderful and all but sometimes I just miss them."

"Dads?" Quinn's brows furrowed in question.

"I have two gay dads. You don't… have a problem with that, do you?" This is it. This could make or break whatever she thinks of Quinn. _Sorry Quinn, you're unbelievably beautiful but I can't handle homophobia._

Quinn just snorts. "Oh no, no problem at all. I'm gay, actually."

Rachel almost spat her coffee. Okay, she wasn't expecting that. "Y-you're gay?"

"Yup." Quinn said, lips popping at the 'p' sound.

"Oh, okay. That's good! Great! Good for you, I mean." She wished for the ground to just swallow her whole but she lives on the fourth floor so that can't really happen.

Quinn's eyes are shining with amusement. _How can she be so calm while I'm here being a spluttering mess?_

"You know, you're cute when you get all flustered." _God, that smirk._

"Uh-thanks?"

Quinn looked over to the wall clock and her eyes widened. "Oh crap, I have to get ready for class." She said as she stood up.

Rachel began standing up as well. "That's alright. I have to go to school early today, anyway. I'll um, I'll see you around?" Rachel bit her lip. She would really like to see this woman again.

"Yeah, see you." Rachel walked Quinn to the door and just as she was about to step out, she turned to Rachel.

"Before I go, I'd really like to get your number first." She pulled her phone out from her pocket and waved it in front of Rachel. Rachel gaped at her.

"But you-you said-"

"In my defense, I really left my wallet at home. I'm sorry, I didn't want to just get your number at the park and be anxious that you'll never respond to my texts or something." Quinn bit her lip and waited for Rachel's reaction. _So Quinn does get shy sometimes._

"I-well, I didn't want to say goodbye at the park, either."

"And besides, I'd have to check up on you, just to see if you didn't damage your head or whatever." The smirk was back now.

Rachel gingerly took the phone and typed her number. She handed it back to Quinn with a smile.

"So… bye, Rachel." Quinn said with a slight wave. She hesitated before taking a step closer. She kissed Rachel on the cheek and mumbled a breathless "bye" before she headed down the stairs.

"Bye, Quinn." Rachel waited until she couldn't see any trace of blonde head anymore before she closed the door.

She just met the prettiest girl ever, wasn't robbed or killed, and said girl just asked for her number. She walked to the living room with a spring in her step to grab the two cups and put it on the sink. She was on her way to her room when her phone alerted her of a text message.

_I go to the park every Wednesday at 8. -Quinn_

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A/N: Title from Pioneers - The Lighthouse & The Whaler

A/N 2: Again, thank you for reading this and the previous ones. You guys are amazing! :)


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